1. Field of the Invention and Related Art Statement
The present invention relates to an automatic analyzing apparatus, and more particularly relates to an apparatus for chemically analyzing different kinds of substances contained in a sample liquid such as blood by means of a plurality of automatic analyzing modules each being capable of analyzing sample liquid with respect to one or more analyzing items, samples being successively fed from the upstream side of the modules and being selectively delivered into reaction vessels of the modules.
Such an automatic analyzing apparatus mentioned above is already known, for example, from Japanese Utility Model Publication Sho 53-8544. In this conventional apparatus, analyzing modules ranging from two to eight are serially arranged, and sample cups each containing sample liquids to be analyzed are successively conveyed to the modules one by one via only one route. Necessary amounts of the samples are picked up and delivered into reaction vessels in the modules in accordance with one or more analyzing items of each samples and one or more analyzing items which can be analyzed by each modules. That is to say, in the conventional apparatus, although it is not necessary to analyze all items by all analyzing modules, all samples have to be successively fed along all the analyzing modules. In the known apparatus, a conveyer belt is generally arranged to feed the sample cups along the analyzing modules. Since the number of items ranging from four to twelve can be generally analyzed in one module, it is possible to analyze 20-30 items in the automatic analyzing apparatus as a whole. On the other hand, generally, analyzing items designated for respective samples are different to each other. In general, the number of items required to be analyzed for a sample is 50-60% of all possible analyzing items of the apparatus. In order words, 50-40% of the possible items which can be analyzed by the apparatus are not designated for respective samples.
As explained above, in the conventional automatic analyzing apparatus, all sample cups are successively fed along all the analyzing modules without regard to test items designated for respective samples to be analyzed. Therefore, during a sample, whose test items are not analyzed in a module, is passing over the module, analysis is not performed in the module, thus making the processing time of the apparatus as a whole long. Particularly, in case many samples necessary to be analyzed with respect to only a few items are successively supplied into the apparatus, this disadvantage is manifested.